Friday, May 26

A GROUP OF SWELLS

Recently four of us (3 singers
inclusive of wife and self) plus the pianist who entertains on a regular basis,
gave a small concert to some of the residents of an aged care centre. The above
number was one performed by my wife and self.

The full program
inclusive of lyrics was:

It’s a long
way to Tipperary-

Up to mighty London

Came an Irishman one day.

As the streets are paved with gold

Sure, everyone was gay,

Singing songs of Piccadilly,

Strand and Leicester Square,

Till Paddy got excited,

Then he shouted to them there:

Chorus

It's
a long way to Tipperary,

t's
a long way to go.

It's
a long way to little Mary

To
the sweetest girl I know!

Goodbye,
Piccadilly,

Farewell,
Leicester Square!

It's
a long long way to Tipperary,

But
my heart's right there.

Paddy wrote a letter

To his Irish Molly-O,

Saying, "Should you not
receive it,

Write and let me know!"

"If I make mistakes in
spelling,

Molly, dear," said he,

"Remember, it's the pen
that's bad,

Don't lay the blame on me!

Chorus

It's a long way to Tipperary,

It's a long way to go.

It's a long way to little Mary

To the sweetest girl I know!

Goodbye, Piccadilly,

Farewell, Leicester Square!

It's a long long way to
Tipperary,

But my heart's right there.

Molly wrote a neat reply

To Irish Paddy-O,

Saying "Mike Maloney

Wants to marry me, and so

Leave the Strand and
Piccadilly

Or you'll be to blame,

For love has fairly drove me
silly:

Hoping you're the same!"

Chorus

It's
a long way to Tipperary,

It's
a long way to go.

0It's
a long way to little Mary

To
the sweetest girl I know!

Goodbye,
Piccadilly,

Farewell,
Leicester Square!

It's
a long long way to Tipperary,

But
my heart's right there.

When Irish eyes are
smiling –

There's a tear in your eye, And I'm wondering why,
For it never should be there at all.
With such pow'r in your smile, Sure a stone you'd beguile,
So there's never a teardrop should fall.
When your sweet lilting laughter's Like some fairy song,
And your eyes twinkle bright as can be;
You should laugh all the while And all other times smile,
And now, smile a smile for me.

When Irish eyes are smiling,
Sure, 'tis like the morn in Spring.
In the lilt of Irish laughter
You can hear the angels sing.
When Irish hearts are happy,
All the world seems bright and gay.
And when Irish eyes are smiling,
Sure, they steal your heart away.

When Irish eyes are smiling,
Sure, 'tis like the morn in Spring.
In the lilt of Irish laughter
You can hear the angels sing.
When Irish hearts are happy,
All the world seems bright and gay.
And when Irish eyes are smiling,
Sure, they steal your heart away.

Mountains of Mourne -

Oh Molly this London's a
beautiful sight
where the people are workin' by day and by night
They don't sow potatoes nor barley nor wheat
but there's gangs of them diggin' for gold in the street
At least when I asked them that's what I was told
so I took up my hand at this diggin' for gold
but for all that I found there I might as well bewhere the Mountains of Mourne sweep down
to the sea

I believe that when writing one wish you'd expressed
as to how the fine ladies of London are dressed
well if you believe me when asked to the ball
faith, they don't wear no tops to their dresses at all
Oh, I've seen it myself and I tell you in truth
I can't tell if they're bound for a ball or a bath
don't go startin' those fashions now Molly Machreewhere the Mountains of Mourne sweep down
to the sea

You remember young Peter O'Laughlin of course
well now he is here at the head of the force
I saw him one day I was crossing the strand
and he stopped the whole street with one wave of his hand
And there we stood talking of days long gone
while the whole population of London looked on
But for all his great power he's wishin' like meto be back where the dark Mourne sweeps
down to the seaI saw England's King from the top of a bus
still I don't know him still he claims to know us
and though by the Saxon's we once were oppressed
still I cheered God forgive me I cheered with the rest
and since that he's visited Erin's green shore
we've been much better friends than we've been heretofore
when we get what we want we're as quiet as can bewhere the Mountains of Mourne sweep down
to the sea

There are beautiful girls here-Oh, never you mind
With beautiful shapes nature never designed
And lovely complexions all roses and cream
but O'Laughlin remarked with regard to the same
That if at those roses you venture to sip
the colours might all come away on your lipSo I'll wait for the wild rose that's
waiting for me
Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea

I’ll walk with GOD –

I'll walk with god
From this day on
His helping hand I'll lean upon
This is my prayer my humble plea
May the lord be ever with me

There is no death though eyes grow dim
There is no fear when I'm near to him
I'll lean on him forever
And he'll forsake me never

He will not fail me as long as my
faith is strong
whatever road I may walk alone

I'll walk with god
I'll take his hand
I'll talk with god he'll understand
I'll pray to him
Each day to him

And he'll hear the words that I say
His hand will guide my throne and rod
And I'll never walk alone
while I walk with god.

We’re a couple of swells –

We're a couple of swells

We stop at the best hotels

But we prefer the country
far away from the city smells

We're a couple of sports

The pride of the tennis
courts

In June, July and August we look cute when
we're dressed in shorts

The Vanderbilts have asked
us up for tea

We don't know how to get
there, no sirree

No sirree...

We would ride up the
avenue

but we haven't got the
price

We would skate up the
avenue

but there isn't any ice

We would ride on a bicycle

but we haven't got a bike

So we'll walk up the
avenue

Yes we'll walk up the
avenue

and to walk up the
avenue's what we like

Wall Street bankers are we

With plenty of currency

We'd open up the safe but
we forgot where we put the key

We're the favourite lads

Of girls in the picture
ads

We'd like to tell who we
kissed last night but we can't be cads

The Vanderbilts are
waiting at the club

But how are we to get
there, that's the rub

That's the rub...

We would sail up the
avenue

but we haven't got a yacht

We would ride up the
avenue

but the horse we had was
shot

We would go on a trolley
car

but we haven't got the
fare

So we'll walk up the
avenue

Yes we'll walk up the
avenue

And we'll walk up the
avenue till we're there

On the road to
Mandalay-

By the old Mulmein pagoda Lookin' eastward to
the sea

There's a Burma girl a-setting, And I know she
thinks of me.

For the wind is in the palm trees, And the
temple bells they say

Come you back you British soldier, Come you
back to Mandalay. Come you back to Mandalay, where the old flotilla lay, Can't
you hear those paddles chunking From Rangoon to Mandalay, on the road to
Mandalay, Where the flying fishes play, and the dawn comes up like thunder, Out
of China, cross the bay.

If there's something east of Suez, Where the
best is like the worst, Where they're ain't no ten commandments, And a man can
raise a thirst, For the temple bells are calling, And it's there that I will
be, By the old Moulmein pagoda, Looking lazy at the sea, Looking lazy at the
sea.

Come you back to Mandalay, Where the old
flotilla lay, Can't you hear their paddles chunking, From Rangoon to Mandalay, on
the road to Mandalay, Where the fly in' fishes play, and the dawn comes up like
thunder Out of China cross the bay.

With a little bit of luck -All

The Lord above gave man an arm of iron
So he could do his job and never shirk
The Lord above gave man an arm of iron
But, with a little bit of luck, with a little bit of luck
Someone else will do the blink in' work
(With a little bit, with a little bit)
(With a little bit of luck you'll never work)

The Lord above made liquor for
temptation
To see if man could turn away from sin
The Lord above made liquor for temptation
But, with a little bit of luck, with a little bit of luck
When temptation comes you'll give right in
(With a little bit, with a little bit)
(With a little bit of luck you'll give right in)

Oh you can walk the straight and narrow
but with a little bit of luck you'll run amok

The gentle sex was made for man t'marry
To share his nest and see his food is cooked
The gentle sex was made for man t'marry
But, with a little bit of luck, with a little bit of luck
You can have it all and not get hooked
(With a little bit, with a little bit)
(With a little bit of luck you won't get hooked)
(With a little bit, with a little bit)
(With a little bit of bloom in' luck)

You made me love you-

You made me love you
I didn't want to do it
I didn't want to do it
you made me want you
and all the time you knew it.
I guess you always knew it.

You made me happy sometimes
sometimes you made me glad
but there were times, dear
you made me feel so bad.

You made me sigh for
I didn't wanna tell you
I didn't want to tell you
I want some lovin', that's true.
Yes I do, indeed I do, you know I do.

Give me, give me, give me what I cry for
You know ya got the brand o' kisses that I'd die for
You know you made me love you.

You made me sigh for
I didn't want to tell you
I didn't wanna tell you
I want some lovin', that's true.
Yes I do, indeed I do, you know I do.

Give me, give me, give me what I cry for
You know ya got the brand o' kisses that I'd die for
You know you made me love you.

An impressive repertoire.I met a folk singer/songwriter recently who asked me to sit in on some gigs to add some lead work. I'm going to take him up on it. I don't have to remember the words. That will make me happy. Plus, I like his songs. They're typically humorous, with a few odd twists in the song structure; something like Ogden Nash in music, but a tad more serious.

Musically, I've been listening to a lot of bossa nova lately (Paul Desmond, Stan Getz, Roberta Sa), though I still listen to a lot of Spanish guitar.Into Shelby Flint, Earl Klugh, and the Vince Guaraldi Trio's Black Orpheus.Not surprising really, because I lived for several years in a city where smooth jazz is the most prominent radio format. It seems like a natural progression, adapting the smooth jazz to something more my own style.

Hi Mercutio, I agree it’s far more relaxing and enjoyable not to have the added pressure of remembering all the words. The rendition is is the original key. Next time I hope to add in another; a medley from Oklahoma taken from the original vocal score.

About Me

I have worked in the roles as Company Secretary or Divisional financial executive with larger Australian based multinational companies before changing careers in favour of sales and marketing for the latter 12 years of business life.
My particular interests include corporate social responsibility, ethics and research into more sustainable business practices.
I am a fellow of CPA Australia and an Associate member of the Governance Institute of Australia which was previously called the Chartered Secretaries Australia. I am chairman of the Malawi Support group who are a small group of catholic parishioners who raise funds to support a sister parish in Malawi.